St. Landry democrat., 1887-12-24

"Be wise, my good girl" he continued;
II will do well by you. / will give you far
more than promised young Swenson, the
| Swede, if you will give up this foolish
Paul! PAUL." screamed the girl, dashing
| from Mr.. Fosdyck's presence At the sound
Of his name the youth flew from the house
and almost into her arms.
THE worst has come" she said. my
father has dared to question my honor, and
| have vowed | would never step across his
threshold until he took back his words. You
alone can now bear witness to my good
name. Come and face my father with the
| courage Of your conscience and | will ask no
more of you. Your father has shown me
| that our acquaintance must end. Let it be
so, but not until you have undone what has
! befAllen me.''
You give him up them" said the elder
Fosdyck.
"What, II" the girl exclaimed. II cam
not | am his betrothed; but give him
the right to leave me if he wishes to-"
"Father," said the young man; "here our
lives part, if you SO decide. | love this
woman and will devote my life to her. [
! know that you cannot forgive me and will
disown me. So be it; my path and hers are
one hereafter, and what could have gotten
| from your bounty | will now earn with my
| hands"
The elder Fosdyck, for answer, threw open
| the door of the house and babe the others
enter They did so with wondering faces.
"Miriam,' said he, taking the maiden's
| hand in his. "Iou are the first woman
who ever entered this house, and hence
forward you are free to come and go as you
please and to be my daughter, if you will
| honor me and my son SO greatly. / am
| msanthrOpe who was So shameeSslV duped
by a woman upon whom had lavlshed all
! | had my soul and my wealth, that | sought
the seclusiOu of this wilderness with my
| boy, the pledge of an earlier marriage, de-
termined never to permit a woman to step
beneath my roof. You cannot concelye how
much reason had for this-hOW cruelty
was deceived. Months ago Paul fell in love
with you. | knew it, though he did not slls-
poet me- | secretly investigated your lite.
II had been blameless. | then threw temp
tation in your way, for supposed you were
like other wOmen--weak-and | wished to
save my son from tasting of the fruit OF
which | have eaten. You were offered
wealth and ease without honor, and YOU
gave your tempter a day in which to leave
| the country, vUWing YOU would kill him If
he remained. | then threw an honorable
and allurng otter in your way, and
you rejected it. saying that YOU loved another.
| You meant my son, though with him rs
your lover you foresaw nothing but atroub!ed
future. | precipitated upon you all that You
most acknowledgements at home Finally,
tonight made you feel the strength Of my
opposition and offered you money if you
would not brook it. You have stood every
test. You are queen among women. You
will never break my boys heart. Paul, TO-
morrow fortnight is Christmas Day. We
We're preparing for a great feast and hunting
! frolic with my gentleman friends from New
| York, who come here when they can, little
| suspecting that they pose outlaws in the
minds of all who see them. had ordered
another Christmas gilt for you, but | will
add to it the noblest, proudest present man
| can take or man can gve-a true and loving
! wife. Come, Miriam, | will go with YOU to
your father and not only satisfy him that |
| am a gentleman and a Christian, but that he
shah never need to labor hard or want for
| friends or comfort So long as he and l-Or
| YOU and Paul and he-remain on earth"
JULIAN RALPH.